Form handling means for business machines



. MaychlS, 1958 F. BECKER FORM HANDLING MEANS FOR BUSINESS MACHINESFiled 001:. 27, 1955 INVENTOR- FRED BECKER By 254% d A TTORN E V UnitedStates PatentO FORM HANDLING MEANS FOR BUSINESS MACHINES Fred Becker,Queens Village, N. Y., assiguor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 27, 1955, Serial No.543,111

7 Claims. (Cl. 197-136) This invention relates to business machines,especially to those adapted for printing or typing upon a work sheetcarried by a cylindrical platen and more particularly" relates to animproved means for facilitating the introduction of short forms or worksheets into such machines.

Business machines such as typewriters, accounting ma- 2,827,146 PatentedMar. 18, 1958 ice ' a typewriting machine it will be understood that itis not limited to that application but that in general it is adaptableto any business machine having a cylindrical platen. Since the detailsof construction of the platen carriage are not of the essence of thepresent invention, said carriage has been illustrated more or lessdiagrammatically as comprising a pair of end plates and 11 mounted upona grooved bar 12 and further tied together by various cross members, oneof which is shown at 13. As

shown in the patent to Helmond, No. 2,172,008, the end chines and thelike are generally provided with a cylin-. 5

drical platen which is rotated to feed the work sheets from the rear uppast a typing point located along the front of the platen. Some suchmachines are arranged to have the work sheets inserted from the front ofthe platen rather than from the rear but this generally calls for a morecomplicated and costly construction. The type of work to be performed bythe machine dictates whether a rear-feed or front-feed arrangement isthe most desirable.

At times it is desired to use business machines, par-- ticularlytypewriters, for filling out comparatively "short forms such as index orfile cards and machines have been devised wherein such forms may beinserted at the front of the platen and the platen then rotated in thedirection plates are provided with upwardly directed open ended bearingslots within which platen shaft bearings are rotatably and removablymounted. The grooved bar 12 is mounted upon roller bearings within acomplementarily grooved-member 14 forming a part of the base portion "ofthemachine, thus mounting the carriage for letter-feed and returnmovement past a typing position.

The platen assembly of the present invention comprises a cylindricalplaten 15 extending axially from the ends of which and fixed thereto area pair of bearing shafts 16 (Figure 3) and 17 (Figure 4).

When the platen assembly is in use, the bearing shafts 16 and 17 arerotatably mounted in the open ended bearing slots of the end plates 10and 11 respectively. The platen is provided opposite to line-spacedirection to bring the form to posiv tion for typing the first line.Such machines employ a device for attaching the lower edge of the formto the platen and have'means for limiting the rotation of the platen sothat it may conveniently be oscillated between a position for insertingthe form and position for typing the first line. One such arrangement ofthis type is shown in the patent to Carpenter, No. 2,239,643.

it is an'object of the present invention to provide a business machine'having an improved arrangement for facilitating the handling ofrelatively short forms.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a business machinewhich'may be converted quickly and with aminimum of effort from oneadapted for the usual type of work to one especially adapted forhandling short forms.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a platenassembly for use with a business machine which will greatly facilitatethe handling of short forms.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention willbecome more readily apparent as the description of a preferredembodiment thereof proceeds.

Referring now to the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the platen and a portion of thepaper carriage of a typewriter embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is an end view of the platen and carriage, partially in sectionand partially broken away to show some of the operating parts andshowing the platen in work-sheet-inserting position,

Figure 3 is an end view showing a portion of the mechauism' shown inFigure 2 and showing the platen in the first-line-of-typing position,

Figure 4 is a view partially in front elevation and partially in sectionshowing one end of the platen and showing a spring means for rotatingthe platen to first-line-oftyping position,

' work sheet or card 18 may be secured thereto.

with any sui'table means whereby the bottom edge of a Such means isherein illustrated as a channel member 19 embedded in the surface of theplaten and the card is held in position by being wedged beneath one ofthe inturned sides of said member.

For facilitating the rotative adjustment of the platen by either hand ofthe operator, knobs 20 and 21 are fixed to the bearing shafts 16 and 17respectively. The knob 2t] is formed at one end of a sleeve 22 the otherend of which is flanged and has secured thereto a plurality of segments23, see Figure 2, which slidably guide elements 24 of a clutch. Theelements 24 are urged by a spring 25 toward an inactive position but arenormally held in active position by a spring pressed ball 26. Rotatablearound its inside. The clutch elements 24 normally engage the clutchteeth 29 to hold the ratchet wheel 27 fast with bearing shaft 16 and theplaten. By pressing a button 30 toward the knob 20, the ball 26 may bemoved away from the elements 24, whereupon the spring 25 moves saidelements out of engagement with the clutch teeth 29 and the platen andratchet wheel may be rotated independently of one another. While aparticular form 'of clutch has been described, the structural details ofthe clutch are not of the essence of this invention and any formofclutch known in the business machine art as a variable line-space clutchmay be employed.

For preventing accidental rotation of the platen and for holding theratchet Wheel 27 when it is desired to adjust the rotary position of theplaten with respect to said ratchet wheel, a detent member 31 ispivotally mounted upon the carriage below the ratchet wheel. The detentmember is urged by a compression spring 32 to normally engage a roller33 carried on one arm thereof with the teeth 28 of the ratchet wheel.The detent member 31 is provided with an operating arm 34 adapted to beengaged by the lower end of a detent release lever 35 it is desired tohave the platen rotate freely without disturbing the angular adjustmentof the platen with respect to the,ratchet-,;' whee l,-the detent may bereleased until the set screw 48 contacts the stop 49, thus positioningthe work sheet holding means 19 so that the bottom edge of the worksheet or card 18 may conveniently be attached to the platen. It haspreviously been by moving the upper end of the detent releaselever 35mentioned that the ratchet wheel 27 is normally clutched rearwardly asindicated inEigure 3. to the platen and that thespring 40, while tendingto 7 It ;wil l; be understoodr-that the platen is line-spaced rotate theplaten in the direction opposite to its line by moyingtheratchet wheel-2 7 in a-counterclockwise dispacing movement, is ,notsufliciently-strongto move the rection as viewed in the drawing. ,WhiIe any of variousplaten against the aetionofi thedetent roller 33. Thereknown means maybe employed for turning the. ratchet olfore; afterattaching the ,tworkysheet to thezzplaten, vthe wheeL one' suitable means is described inthe patent to operator pushes ;thev detent erelease-Jeverj35;rearwardlyt Helm qnd; No, :2,2 62,6Z and a portion of suchsmeans is to free the,ratchet wheel and platen fronr:=;the;;action indicated inthe drawing 211336. e of the detent roller 33,vwhereupon the spring 40 snaps I w Atthe' right; hand; end ojitheplatena flanged sleeve the platen and theratchet *whee'l'27 in the direction op- ;Zfi surrounds the bearing-shaft1 7.' 1,Thesleeve 37 is fixed posite to linemspacing togthegpositionwhere the stop v rtovtlge platen and so ofi-cqurseais fixedwith respectto the member 51 contacts the fixed stop 52, thus bringing the 'haf;t11;. 'nc e a s previously mentioned,,;said. shaft is Work sheet toposition for receiving the first line of fined to the;platen.; liastenedaroundt the-sleeve 37 by typing, ,lThe:detentreleaselever. isthenirestored to .means -;of tasetscrew gs ;is a colla r 39 to 'whichthe normal position and typing-rand linexspacingtproceeds in inner endof a coil g springfifl; is pinned. At its outer Q. itheusual manner,therdetent roller 33 serving to prevent endpthegspring; 4tl i s seeure dto the-flange of aacup V.flaundesiredt-rotation oftthetplaten; by-thespring40r By mgmbep, ti l g idu member. is connected; by a ;.pr operadjustment; ofzrthe angular relationship between. strap fll toan armiii-secured to an anchori-member i the stopgmember; 51 andthenworksheetholdingmeans V 44 i bl t d ppq'nthe bearing-shaft 17. 1;The'19 anyqdesired;.wfirst-line-of typing position of the work springfil)is so,;w ound as vtonirge theplaten in arclock- ,5sheet-maybesaccurately-.determined. v i direction as, viewed in.the'drawing' andto urge the .When lithis ;desired to.use.,the-machinelfo'rthe more ranchqr mflmbelpzlin a t lockwise direction. When I usualtypeof work,'the:thumb screw 45 isv screwed down the platen a se bly i ip sifi n i h n h .against-t he.pl3t6n to :prevent the unwinding of thespring lo\ver-;end of theanchor;; member- 44 ab uts ithe cm fr-40. andthe platen; assembly islifted out of the carriage. member 13 totherebyprevent counterclockwi move. 7 -Anordinaryplaten. assembly :such asindicated generally ment g id anchor member and the ener f; h .at 53 inEiguret-dmay; then he quickly substituted. r spr'ing 4p i th di e t d td i 11 l i 1-Iaving thus; described apreferred embodiment of theacidokwise. directipn yvhich i jh di i i invention, what is claimed is:thezline spacing-direction, .,H weve f areason-ahere- 1. Formusewitha:machine of vthe;class described, a :inafterto beexplained, the; tensionof the spring 40 is a5u-cylindficalplatn havingrbeizlring Shaftsextending axially not,sufiic ieut,t0 o come the ction ofthe detent 31,from eachendthereof worksheet holding means onsaid V Athnmb re 4sji djmh anchot member 7 platen, -a linewspace ratchet wheel rotatatbly mountedarm 43 may be: tightened against thg Surface of the rcoax ially'withpsai d platen, stop means on said 1 ratchet pla te t thereby lo kthe anchor member 44 t q the zrwheeliadapted to. cooperate with arelatively fixed stop p at n a -.Wl Q r nl 1platenasse bly is-removedfrom 40 WheMaid-Platefi i e, ehi means for Preventing the carriage thespring 40 will. be maintaing d undelrelativerotaati n of-tsaidtratchetwheel andtsaid, platen, tension. For preventing accidental displacementof th visaid u h ng means bei g r l asabl topermitrotative vthumb screw,g sp ring 46 may b provided bpetwepen 1 adjustment; oifl. .said vratchetwheel-with ,repsect to said head; of saidrscrew and'the 5 x43 to h ldthe'ae; screw ,,.p1aten :whereby wthegrelationshipbetween said. stopmeans 1 'in' whatever;pogtion to which it i t rn d, i-rand said w rksheetzholding means may beyaried spring Rptatablylaqjushlegoqthcubgqinggshaft isfa: lcvonar anchoring means rota tably mounted-.upon. --one of said 47 whichrmayab plied-to s ai d ;5haftinvmnyvfldegred bearing.shaftsgand adapted llflfingage33.;1613IiV61Y1fiX6d T3 18 jii l bxn ea glongated; Set ew g-porfimi.Qfihdmachine,ra.coil; springrfixcd at. onerend to saidspringtanchgringimeanstandsecured at itslvotherend A ,w mpatnemb r 2;;seu cd t0: the tcarriag fl dv splate a l cowl. 50, 9:t9ranxrgthsrficgpyeniem ofdthe carriage relatlve toosa d; platen and:releasable, means 'jfQI locking aid spring anchoringmeansto'saidtplaten.

r, cooperateswithathe elongated:set screw 48 to:.;preyent a 2.;,Eor;usetwlthjamachme of theiclassdescribed, a

,line space movement of; the platen heyondvwhatlisherein. r e med'-wvrlz e ns ng:position. The-worksheet? .--vyhndrlaaltplaten a lbearing:shaftsfixtendiflgaxially from each end thereof, work sheetholding means onrsaid insertingeposition of; the,-pl aten is showninEigures 1 and 2, and is the-.r9Iated-positi0n of;;the;.platen;whereinI *P -a-1111?lspaceiratchet-Mheel*mtatably mounted t e cha m m er 1 1 'sv nvr niently accessible -for m I receivvingjthe bmmmi edge 0ithggwoxkishet ratchet wheeliadapted to :cooperatewith a relatively fixed1t stoprwhen, said platen is ins-use, -.c lutching means'for ar-preventing v relative,rotation ofvsaidt .ratchet wheeljrand p t Forpreventing retrograde rotation of the platen beyond ,position for typingthea first line on ;the-.;-w0rk sheet, a stop member 51 is secured to;the r atchet' vWheel 21 and a said step memberaqooperates with; a, fixedstop 52 ;forming apart of therframework Qf-the -carriage'. ..:.Thisfirsthne-of-typing po liQn-of the platen ViS ShOWI1 in; Eigure 3. Byreleasing the variableline; spacetclutch ;.and; manually turningthegplaten, the" relationship between .the' work ,1 sheet; holding means1 9 and the stopzmember. 51,may be r soadjusted that when; thelinespace; clutch .isareengaged 1 and the platen turned 1 bringztherstopmember 51 into engagement with ;the. :fixed sto 52 the :work sheet,which ;,=is held: at-iitszhottomi edge; bythe holding means 19,

will'be properly-positioned for-:receiving tthetfirstsline ofwtyping. IQ 7 M ii Inoperation, thewplaten is turned by the line spacing mechanismor byqrotating one of the knobs'zfl 0 19321 1, .to said-platenwherebytherelationship between said, stop means and said-work,sheetholdingmeansmay be varied, spring anchoring means rotatably mounted; upon, the otheroftsaidabealiingshaftstand adapted to engage airelai ,tiyelyfinedtportion of, the machine, a coil: spring fixed at onetend to saidspging ranchoringameans and secured at its other endrelative tosaid-,platen,-:andreleasablemeans ,yfort loelringrsaidg.spriugzanchoring :means to; saidzplaten. v3. .l oniuseawithaemachine oflthe classvdescribed, a

E m-Ie ch-tendithereof workzsheet holdingstneansxon said laten, a linespace ratchet; wheel 1; rotatably :mounted H c ,P AfiYSt. one-ofsaidbearingzshaftsrstop means onsaid l5 ratchet wheel adapted to cooperatewithatrelativelyrfixed saidrplaten;saidwlutching. meansbeingaeleasableto permit rotative adjustment .ofi-saidratchetwheel-with respectcylindrical platen having bearingzshafts-iextendingaaxially I. stop whensaid platen is in use, a clutch for gripping said ratchet wheel to saidbearing shaft, said clutch permitting rotative adjustment of saidratchet wheel with respect to said platen whereby the relationshipbetween said stop means and said work sheet holding means may be varied,

spring anchoring means rotatably mounted upon the other of said bearingshafts and adapted to engage a relatively fixed portion of the machine,a coil spring fixed at one end to said spring anchoring means andsecured at its other end relative to said platen, and releasable meansfor locking said spring anchoring means to said platen.

4. In a machine of the class described, a platen carriage comprising aframework including a pair of end plates, a cylindrical platen havingbearing shafts fixed relative thereto and extending axially from eachend thereof, said bearing shafts being rotatably mounted in said endplates, a line-space ratchet wheel rotatably mounted upon one of saidbearing shafts, a normally engaged clutch gripping said ratchet wheel tosaid bearing shaft, said clutch permitting angular adjustment of saidplaten with respect to said ratchet wheel, cooperating stop members onsaid ratchet wheel and said carriage for preventing retrograde rotationof said platen beyond the desired first-line-oftyping position,adjustable stop means for variably limiting the extent of rotation ofsaid platen in line-space direction, said last named means selectivelydefining the various work-sheet-inserting positions of said platen,spring means urging said platen to first-line-of-typing position,normally engaged spring urged detent means yieldingly restrainingrotation of said ratchet wheel and said platen, and manually operablemeans for releasing said detent means to thereby free said ratchet wheeland said platen to the action of said spring means whereupon said springmeans will rotate said platen to first-line-of-typing position.

5. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocatable carriagemounted for letter-feed and return movement across a typing position,said carriage comprising a pair of end plates having open-ended bearingslots therein, a cylindrical platen, work sheet holding means on saidplaten for securing the bottom edge of a work sheet to said platen,platen bearing shafts extending axially from the ends of said platen andfixed relative thereto, said bearing shafts being mounted in saidopen-ended bearing slots whereby said platen is rotatably and removablymounted in said carriage, an anchor member rotatably mounted on one ofsaid bearing shafts, spring means fixed at one end relative to saidplaten and secured at its other end to said anchor member, cooperatingmeans on said anchor member and said carriage for preventing movement ofsaid anchor member by said spring means, said spring means being biasedto rotate said platen in the direction opposite to line-space direction,a line-space ratchet wheel rotatably mounted upon one of said bearingshafts, a normally engaged clutch gripping said ratchet wheel to saidbearing shaft, said clutch permitting angular adjustment of said platenwith respect to said ratchet wheel, cooperating stop members on saidratchet wheel and said carriage for preventing retrograde rotation ofsaid platen beyond the desired first-line-of-typing position, means forlimiting the extent of rotation of said platen in line-space direction,said last named means defining the work-sheet-inserting position of saidplaten, normally engaged spring urged detent means yieldinglyrestraining rotation of said ratchet wheel and said platen, manuallyoperable means for releasing said detent means to permit free rotationof said ratchet wheel and said platen between work-sheet-insertingposition and first-line-of-typing position, said spring means serving toimpart retrograde rotation to said platen to the extent defined by saidcooperating stop members when said detent means is released but saidspring means having insufficient strength to move said platen when saiddetent means is engaged, and means for locking said anchor member tosaid platen whereby said platen may be removed from the carriage withoutdisturbing the relationship between said platen and said anchor 'member.

I '6. In a machine'of the class described, a reciprocatable carriagemounted for letter-feed and return movement across a typing position,said carriage comprising a pair of end plates having open-ended bearingslots therein, a cylindrical platen, work sheet holding means on saidplaten for securing the bottom edge of a work sheet to said platen,platen bearing shafts extending axially from the ends of said platen andfixed relative thereto, said bearing shafts being mounted in saidopen-ended bearing slots whereby said platen is rotatably and removablymounted in said carriage, an anchor member rotatably mounted on one ofsaid bearing shafts, a coil spring having its inner end fixed to saidplaten and at its outer end connected to said anchor member with respectto which said platen may be rotated to a limited extent, said coilspring being so arranged as to store up energy when the platen isrotated in line-space direction relative to said anchor member,cooperating means on said anchor member and said carriage for preventingmovement of said anchor member by said coil spring, a line-space ratchetWheel rotatably mounted upon one of said bearing shafts, a normallyengaged clutch gripping said ratchet Wheel to said bearing shaft, saidclutch permitting angular adjustment of said platen with respect to saidratchet wheel, cooperating stop members on said ratchet wheel and saidcarriage for preventing retrograde rotation of said platen beyond thedesired first-line-of-typing position, adjustable stop means forvariably limiting the extent of rotation of said platen in line-spacedirection, said last named means selectively defining the variouswork-sheet-inserting positions of said platen, normally engaged springurged detent means yieldingly restraining rotation of said ratchet wheeland said platen, and manually operable means for releasing said detentmeans to permit free rotation of said ratchet wheel and said platenbetween a work-sheet-inserting position and the first-line-of-typingposition, said coil spring serving to impart retrograde rotation to saidplaten to the extent defined by said cooperating stop members when saiddetent means is released and said coil spring having insuflicientstrength to move said platen when said detent means is engaged.

7. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocatable carriagemounted for letter-feed and return movement across a typing position,said carriage comprising a pair of end plates having open-ended bearingslots therein, a cylindrical platen, Work sheet holding means on saidplaten for securing the bottom edge of a work sheet to said platen,platen bearing shafts extending axially from the ends of said platen andfixed relative thereto, said bearing shafts being mounted in saidopen-ended bearing slots whereby said platen is rotatably and removablymounted in said carriage, an anchor member rotatably mounted on one ofsaid bearing shafts, a coil spring having its inner end fixed to saidplaten and at its outer end connected to said anchor member with respectto which said platen may be rotated to a limited extent, said coilspring being so arranged as to store up energy when the platen isrotated in line-space direction relative to said anchor member,cooperating means on said anchor member and said carriage for preventingmovement of said anchor member by said coil spring, a line-space ratchetWheel rotatatbly mounted upon one of said bearing shafts, a normallyengaged clutch gripping said ratchet wheel to said bearing shaft, saidclutch permitting angular adjustment of said platen with respect to saidratchet Wheel, cooperating stop members on said ratchet wheel and saidcarriage for preventing retrograde rotation of said platen beyond thedesired first-line-of-typing position, means for limiting the extent ofrotation of said platen in line-space direction, said last named meansdefining the work-sheet-inserting position of said platen, normallyengaged spring urged detent means yieldingly restraining rotation ofsaid ratchet wheel and said platen, manually operable means

